Barcelona and the Rest of Catalonia Say Farewell to Bullfighting (VIDEO)

Spain’s top matadors congregated in Catalonia for a last weekend of bullfighting at “La Monumental” arena in Barcelona. The Catalonia region encompasses the provinces of Barcelona, Girona Lleida and Tarragona.

“This decision was taken by some politicians that will pass, but us the fans will be here forever,” said Miguel López, a fan that spent all weekend celebrating the last bull fights in Catalonia, and today, nostalgic, went to visit the “Monumental” almost 100 year old plaza, open to the public for now on, only as a tourist site.

A bull called “Dudalegre” sealed with his own fate the fate of bullfighting in the entire province; the ban doesn’t start until next year, but the current and final season ended yesterday with a lineup of the best bullfighters in Spain: Juan Mora, José Tomás, and Serafín Marín.

Hundreds of supporters chanted “Catalonia is pro-bullfighting” as they left the final spectacle. Some fans even jumped down to the ring to grab handfuls of sand to keep as a souvenir.

Catalonia is the second of Spain’s 17 regions to ban bullfighting. The Canary Islands outlawed the practice in 1991. No plans to outlaw the practice exist in the other 15 regions.